


3rd Time's a Charm

by westofwords



Category: Degrassi the Next Generation
Genre: Gen, Jay is a brat!, bratty brat brat, he tells manny he made a scene at his dad's wedding n then lost touch, that's it mainly, this is The Scene(tm)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:22:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26633566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westofwords/pseuds/westofwords
Summary: Weddings were supposed to be fun, right? Well… if he wasn't having any fun, why not just make some.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	3rd Time's a Charm

It couldn't have been any hotter.

The middle of summer, outside, in some shitty park, under some shitty gazebo that looked like it'd blow over if the wind got too strong.

There were people, dancing, bumping shoulder to shoulder. Most of them were drunk or almost there.

Jay was one of, if not / the / , youngest there. At 14, that was some achievement, but hardly any of his dad's friends were in steady relationships, let alone with kids (in their custody, at least). And his new "mother" seemed to be surrounded with carbon copies of herself - 30 something year old wannabes, more plastic than person, still holding onto the idea of getting her big break soon.

Jay huffed, slumping down in his seat farther. You'd think after this many weddings, they'd give up on a service. He should be so lucky. / She / wanted a party, so how could they ever say no?

He could see his father across the makeshift reception, his new "wife" off talking with her friends while he subtly flirted with a different guest. Of course, "as long as we both shall live" was only a suggestion, right?

They'd hardly been dating six months, and had / started / dating barely three weeks after the last divorce was finalized.

But, that was his father. One step ahead of life itself, for better or worse.

As childish as it may have sounded, Jay had almost been relieved when his dad told him about the divorce. Sure, he didn't love his dad hopping from woman to woman every two seconds, but he enjoyed the downtime in-between, where they got to actually hang out together.

Between school, his dad's job, and Jay starting to look into getting one himself, they didn't have much time for that anymore. And then came along mom # 3.

He was / tired / of feeling like a second priority to his own father. Tired of coming in second to women that wouldn't even be around this time next year. Tired of these stupid weddings, in the stupid heat, in this stuffy, / stupid / tie and blazer that barely fit him anymore.

Weddings were supposed to be fun, right? Well… if he wasn't having any fun, why not just make some.

He slid the blazer off, letting it stay pinned between him and the back of the chair for now. The women sitting opposite of him at the table had gotten up a while ago to find a bathroom, leaving behind an almost entirely full glass of champagne.

Jay glanced, side to side and back again, reaching over and grabbing it. Just one sip at first, he didn't like it that much anyway. But he kept the glass with him, standing and making his way through the crowd, up to table sporting the half assed, homemade wedding cake. One of his dad's friends had offered to make it, or something. It was only a couple tiers tall, but he'd heard the lovely bride gushing about it earlier.

He grabbed a chair and butter knife from a nearby table, pulling it over to the side of the cake stand.

Taking a deep breath and feeling a smirk of some sorts make its way onto his face, he stepped up onto the chair, using the knife to clink against the champagne glass.

"Excuse me! Excuse me-"

A chatter of the crowd quieted aside from a few stray murmurs. All speeches had already been made nearly an hour again, but he hadn't been asked to make one then.

His father glared at him from across the way with piercing, almost / warning / eyes, as if threatening him into behaving. It only stirred him more.

Jay cleared his throat, plastering the fakest grin he could muster.

"Well, isn't this just something! So great to see you all here again, guess you just kept the invitations from last time?"

This earned a slight rise from the crowd, but could easily have been played off as just some dumb joke with no real ill intent. But, if Jay was known for anything, it was for taking things too far, too fast.

"I can't believe we're here again. It's just bizarre, really! Not everyday you get to see your old man fall in love. Wait… well, actually, it is for me. Maybe not everyday but, certainly at least every week. And maybe not even fall in love, just fall in bed."

His dad made a move towards him, but was blocked by the bride herself, half pouting and wondering ' why on earth Jason would say such horrible things ' .

Jay couldn't help a laugh, shaking his head.

"You know- last time we had one of these parties- I really thought it'd be the last. And this morning, I thought for sure this one would be the last. But I guess my father dear lives to surprise! Hey, dad-"

He waved at his dad, grinning and feeling what he could only assume was adrenaline running through him. Step mom and the rest of the bridal party looked on the edge of tears already, but no one made any move to stop him.

"Dad, hey, why don't you tell your dearly beloved about the girl at your bachelor party last week? Last time I checked, party strippers don't double as prostitutes."

There was a collective gasp from a number of the partygoers, and his step mother finally let out an ugly sob.

"Oh, mom," he put extra obnoxiously sarcastic emphasis on the word, "don't cry! It's okay, I'm sure it only happened because he didn't wanna upset you by asking for a threesome. I know last time he tried, you said no."

He heard a couple awkward laughs from the crowd, followed by more whispers, and someone he couldn't quite pinpoint telling him to shut up. If anything, he was only getting started.

"But, hey, who am I to judge? Maybe this time it'll actually work out. I don't see it, but I guess some women find the whole man-whore thing really goddamn attractive."

"Jason!" His father shouted finally, pushing past his still sobbing bride. His face was flushed with rage, and judging by the way he pushed through the people, Jay doubted he'd be getting out of this cleanly.

"What? I'm just congratulating you, really!" 

Having finally made his way to the front, his dad grabbed Jay's forearm, trying to pull him off of his literal pedestal.

Jay tugged back, regaining his balance on the chair and poking his dad's chest the butter knife.

"I'm not done!"

"Yes, you are." 

With another huff, Jay dropped the knife, letting his father scramble to catch it and taking the momentary distraction as his cue to keep going. He addressed the now irritated crowd once again, summoning another obnoxious smile.

"As I was saying, before I was so / rudely / interrupted… 3rd time's a charm, right? I have a really good feeling about this time. Such a good feeling, I bet this one'll last a whole / two / years before someone gets bored and wants out."

A horrible idea sprung into Jay's mind, seeming to be the perfect way to top off this entire affair.

He looked out over the crowd, at his tear stained step-mom, at his dad, and at the cake, right beside him.

He took another small sip from the champagnes glass, making a big show afterwards to backwash everything he "drank" right back into the cup.

"I mean this wholeheartedly when I say - congratulations. And good luck!"

Dramatically still, he tipped the cup over, letting each drop of mixed champagne and spit spill over the rim and right onto the top of the cake.

His father pulled him from the chair, the last thing he remembered clearly being the glass smashing when it hit the table.

Jay didn't even have time to hit the ground after his dad forced him down, being snagged by the collar and shoved through the crowd before he could even regain his footing. People yelled, shoving him even more as he was shoved through him. No one seemed to / truly / enjoy his little scene. But the faces of the angry guest mixed well with the adrenaline still coursing through him. Without even realizing it, he was laughing.

Loudly and genuinely, hardly able to see as tears quickly clouded his vision. His ribs ached and breath came only in quick little spurts.

His untimely laughing fit continued, even as his father gave one final shove, letting Jay finally fall. He landed on his knees and was hardly able to pull himself together enough to regain his senses.

He could see his father towering over him, and knew the man was in the midst of some long string of curses. Some mix of degrading him, calling him crazy, and daring to even try coming home that night.

And Jay only laughed through it all.


End file.
